Fremantle has finally clinched the signature of Port Adelaide premiership player Josh Carr and is expected to also win over St Kilda's Heath Black as the AFL trade period moves toward its frenzied conclusion.

The Dockers agreed to give Port draft selections 11, 27 and 43 for Carr, who will join his brother Matthew at Fremantle in 2005.

Freo was also working on a three-way deal with Richmond and St Kilda that would see Black traded to Freo, Troy Simmonds move to Richmond and the Saints gain a second-round draft pick.

Richmond had secured Simmonds with a five-year contract offer believed to be worth almost $2 million, but rather than get him with the first selection in the pre-season draft as expected, it could now agree to a trade and keep that selection up its sleeve.

"Troy Simmonds is at Richmond, and hopefully we can negotiate a trade deal to go after Heath Black of St Kilda, which we will aggressively pursue," Fremantle coach Chris Connolly said.

"The (Richmond) offer, which is a five-year contract to Troy Simmonds, is an outstanding offer and reflects how important they see Troy and it was something we couldn't match.

"He's taken that option and hopefully we can be compensated with Heath Black."

Freo chief executive Cameron Schwab said Richmond had "a strong incentive to keep their powder dry with the pre-season choice and use that to get another player" rather than use it on Simmonds.

"There's a lot of nervous clubs out there with an uncontracted player who might be the subject of (Richmond football manager) Greg Miller's desire," Schwab said.

Should Richmond deliver its pick 20 to St Kilda in the triangular deal, that could enable the Saints to on-trade that to Carlton in exchange for Lance Whitnall.

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